Universal bracket for mounting mercury ballasts

ABSTRACT

A BRACKET IS PROVIDED WHICH IS A NUNITARY CASTING HAVING A SHELF THAT ACTS AS A FLOOR WITH AN OPENING UPON WHICH THE END OF THE BALLAST RESTS IN HEAT-SINK RELATIONSHIP. THE BALLAST NIPPLE PASSES THROUGH THE OPENING SO THAT THE CONNECTIONS TO THE BALLAST ARE MADE FROM BELOW THE SHELF. AT LEAST TWO BRACES ARE PROVIDED EXTENDING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE SHELF TO THE BACK-PLATE. THE BACKPLATE IS OF V CONSTRUCTION BUT HAVING FLAST WHICH ARE PERFORATED SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE SHELF SO THAT THE V MAY BE SECURED TO A POLE BY A SUITABLE SHACKEL OR THE FLATS MAY BE ENGAGED AGAINST A FLAT SURFACE AN SECURED BY SCREWS OR BOLTS PASSING THROUGH THE PERFORATIONS.

y 23, 1972 E. M. FREEGARD 3,664,624

UNIVERSAL BRACKET FOR MOUNTING MERCURY BALLAS'IS Filed Aug. 17, 1970 4 7 foe/var:

United States Patent US. Cl. 248-221 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bracket is provided which is a unitary casting having a shelf that acts as a floor with an opening upon which the end of the ballast rests in heat-sink relationship. The ballast nipple passes through the opening so that the connections to the ballast are made from below the shelf. At least two braces are provided extending from the bottom of the shelf to the back-plate. The backplate is of V construction but having flats which are perforated substantially above the shelf so that the V may be secured to a pole by a suitable shackle or the flats may be engaged against a flat surface and secured by screws or bolts passing through the perforations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is concerned with a bracket by means of which a mercury ballast may be attached to a post, pole or wall, the bracket being characterized by its ruggedness, simplicity, its ability to keep the ballast cool, and its universality. The same bracket is used with no additional apparatus for securement of the ballast to any form of wall surface or post or pole.

Mercury ballasts are normally disposed outdoors at a level not readily reached and are required to be attached to different kinds of supports. Supports for top of pole attachment are known and are of unitary construction but expensive and complex. Where the ballast is to be attached to the side of a pole or a surface, it has been customary to use straps and ballasts, clamps and other articles rendering the attachment one of improvisation. Normally ballasts are heavy and run hot and it has in the past been considered that strapping the ballast to the pole is sufficient since it keeps the ballast in contact with the air. It has been found, however, that these ballasts which are strapped to poles or clamped to walls are still quite hot.

The invention solves all previous problems with a simple effective universal bracket which is capable of being used to secure the mercury ballast to practically any kind of surface and which will keep the ballast cool and provide rugged and durable support therefor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is characterized by the provision of a flat shelf having a hole in its center through which the nipple of the mercury ballast extends and by means of which the ballast is mounted with its nipple end in contact with the shelf. There are triangular braces supporting the shelf and a mounting plate which provides a V portion to enable the securement to a pole and flat extensions of the V which are perforated to enable the securement end of a shackle or screws or bolts in case the bracket is to be secured to a flat surface. The perforations are substantially above the shelf so that when the heavy ballast is mounted on the shelf, there is a cantilever moment tending to press the bottom of the mounting plate against the mounting surface or pole. The braces straddle the nipple and protect the same and the wires coming out of the nipple.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational view with portions shown in section illustrating the bracket of the invention attached to a pole.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bracket of the in vention mounted to a flat surface.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the bracket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The reference character 10' designates the bracket of the invention, the same being formed as a unitary casting preferably of aluminum. There is a horizontal shelf or platform 12 Whose front end is generally semicircular as shown at 14 to provide support for the ballast 16. The mercury ballast for which the bracket 10 is intended as a support, is cylindrical in configuration, has a flanged bottom end 18 and a threaded nipple 20 through which the connecting wires 22 extend. The shelf 12 has a central opening 24 and in the securement of the ballast 16 to the bracket 10 the nipple is engaged through the opening 24 and a nut 26 threadedly secured to the nipple. In this way the end 18 is in face-to-face engagement with a large metallic surface so that the shelf 12 serves as a heat-sink to conduct heat from the ballast.

At its rear surface the bracket 10 has a mounting plate 28 which is integral therewith. The mounting plate 28 has three sections, the center one 30 of which is of V configuration and the outer ones of which are flat as shown at 32. A pair of triangular braces 34 is secured between the mounting plate 28 and the shelf 12, these preferably extending from a portion 36 of the mounting plate that is well below the shelf 12 to the floor of the shelf giving, in addition to support, additional heat-sink characteristics to the bracket since they also are integral with the bracket.

The flattened portions 32 may be likened to cars and the same are perforated as indicated at 38. In mounting the bracket 10 to a pole such as 40, a U-bolt shackle 42 embraces the pole with its threaded ends 44 coming through the perforations 38 and being secured over the flattened ears 32 by the nut 46. The opposite surface of the pole rests in the V portion 30 of the mounting plate 28.

In securing the bracket 10 to a flat surface such as shown at 48, the flattened ears 32 rest flush against the surface and bolts or screws 50 pass through the perforations 38 into the surface.

It will be noted that the perforations 38 are substantially above the shelf 12 so that when a heavy ballast is in place there is a cantilever moment about the location of the shackle 42 or screws 50. This tends to force the lower end 36 of the mounting plate 28 into engagement with the pole or wall at a considerable space below the shackle or screws, giving added frictional support for the bracket 10.

The braces 34 straddle the passageway 24 and hence will serve to protect the nipple 20 and the wires 22 when a ballast is mounted on the bracket 10.

The flat apex 52 of the V portion 30 is perforated top and bottom (not shown) as indicated at 54 to enable lag bolts to be used when mounting the device to a wooden post. The perforations 38 are preferably square so that in mounting the bracket 10 to a flat plate, carriage bolts may be used.

Variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A universal mounting bracket and heat-sink for a ballast having a nipple, said bracket comprising a unitary metal casting having a shelf, at least a portion of the upper surface of said shelf being substantially smooth for contacting the bottom surface of a ballast in face-to-face heat transfer relationship, a mounting plate connected to one end of said shelf, at least two spaced-apart, generally plate-shaped braces which extend between and are integral with the bottom of said shelf and the lower rear side of said mounting plate for supporting said shelf and for adding heat dissipation surface areas to said bracket, said shelf being a relatively thick platform having a passageway therethrough which open onto said smooth surface for receiving the nipple when mounting the ballast in heat-sink relationship to said bracket, said braces straddling said passageway so that, when said nipple protrudes from said passageway said braces serve as a protection therefor, said mounting plate having a V-shaped center section and flattened perforated ears which enable said mounting plate to seat against a pole or a fiat surface, and said shelf, said mounting plate, and said braces providing heat dissipation surface areas sufiicient to enable said bracket to serve as a heat-sink and heat dissipating means for the ballast in addition to serving as a support for the ballast.

2. The bracket as claimed in claim 1 wherein said braces are generally triangular and extend from substantially the forward end of said shelf to substantially the bottom of said mounting plate.

3. A ballast and mounting bracket assembly which provides for heat dissipation of the heat generated within the ballast, said ballast having a smooth, bottom mounting surface and a nipple extending therefrom and said bracket comprising a unitary metal casting having a shelf, at least a portion of the upper surface of said shelf being substantially smooth, said smooth upper usrface contacting said smooth bottom surface of said ballast in face to-face heat transfer relationship, a mounting plate connected to one end of said shelf, at least two spaced-apart, generally plate-shaped braces which extend between and are integral with the bottom of said shelf and the lower rear side of said mounting plate for supporting said shelf and said ballast resting on said upper surface thereof and for adding heat dissipation surface areas to said bracket, said shelf being a relatively thick platform having a passageway therethrough which opens onto said smooth surface and receives said nipple for securing said ballast in heat-sink relationship to said bracket, said braces straddling said passageway and serving as a protection for the end of said nipple protruding from said passageway beneath said shelf, said mounting plate having a V-shaped center section and flattened perforated ears which enable said mounting plate to seat against a pole or a flat surface, and said shelf, said mounting plate, and said braces providing heat dissipation surface areas sufficient to enable said bracket to serve as a heat-sink and heat dissipating means for said ballast secured thereto in addition to serving as a support for said ballast.

4. The assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said braces are generally triangular and extend from substantially the forward end of said shelf to substantially the bottom of said mounting plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 5/1956 France 248-230 7/1961 France 248--230 J. FRANKLIN FOSS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

